Lutin
by Dream Wreaver
Summary: Wishes gone awry, challenges given, gauntlets thrown. But what if the child who was wished away wasn't a child at all? Labyrinth AU, Fae!-drien
1. Chapter 1

I'm... I'm not sorry for this

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Being ruler over a kingdom of idiots was just as fulfilling as not being a ruler at all was. But when your family (by divine punishment for an ancestor several generations ahead of you) had a duty to rule over the kingdom of simpletons, that was what you did. In all honesty it wasn't that bad. A kingdom of idiots meant far less political upheaval and less of a chance of being assassinated. But it also meant dealing with inanities that started to grate after a while, especially when you were as long lived as him. The only thing that broke up the monotony was his son. But the golden-haired child had recently taken to wandering off, beyond the reaches of his kingdom, beyond the reaches of their realm. Adrien had grown fascinated by the humans, and Gabriel could only imagine what kind of heartbreak the boy would be set up for.

At this time belief in magic had dwindled down to practically nothing. The bonds between their worlds, once so strong, the veil once so thin, and now it was nearly impossible. Only the denizens of the Goblin Kingdom were able to cross the borders now. And Adrien made full use of the family curse in being stationed there, always popping away into the mortal realm. To what end Gabriel didn't understand. No one was ever wished away. Why torture oneself with something they could never be a part of?

A small part of him, regardless of what he might say otherwise, was perhaps jealous of his son. His son who had so few responsibilities as a prince since he was still more than capable of ruling, and therefore could gallivant off at the drop of a hat. Meanwhile, Gabriel had to stay here in the midst of inanity and idiocy. If it weren't so unbecoming of a king he's be holding court drunk of his gourd more days than not.

Of course, for whatever reason today was different. Gabriel could feel it. His horde was restless, clustering together and intermittently napping or waking up with wide eyes, only to hunker back down into slumber with nothing more than a disappointed sigh. Verge, edge, precipice. Someone was on the precipice of making a wish. No, no that was foolish. Magic's connection with the mortal world was so tenuous. Not even a wish by the most ardent believer could make its way here anymore, right?

And then he felt it too. A split second before. That tug, that inexorable pull to the mortal realm. Before he knew it that tug had taken his horde and he was soon to follow. When he got there the child had already been taken. And he was left to deal with the aftermath, as usual. There was a teenage girl who looked stricken at the idea that her wish had come true. Mortals these days really had no idea why the phrase words have power existed, did they? Gabriel could recall when goblins and by extension their king had been feared, revered, something not to speak of lightly. Now, however, they were nothing but whimsical creatures of legend. Tiny little tricksters who were grotesquely cute and mischievous.

Gabriel went through his usual spiel, conjuring a crystal in his hands and offering it to her. Her mouth dropped open and he took a good look at her. She was certainly childish, her bluish-black hair pulled into low pigtails, and her white and powder pink pajamas. Her eyes were wide and scared, and yet somehow intrigued. Gabriel could already picture what had happened. She'd been forced to babysit and the child had been irritating and in typical teenage fashion the girl had gotten irritated to the point where she'd made a stupid, selfish wish. The only difference was that she had really believed in her wish, enough to bring his goblins and himself here. She still hadn't answered and with a huffy sigh he shook the crystal in his outstretched hand a little and repeated himself.

"Do you want it?" he asked.

"I-" she squeaked, "What is it?"

"It's a crystal," he informed her, beginning to juggle the bauble over his arms, a skill that had been passed down from generation to generation in his family, "Nothing more, but if you turn it this way, and look into it, it will show you your dreams," he reiterated a third time, "Do you want it?"

"I-" she stammered, "I-"

"Then forget the child," Gabriel replied.

She stared at him, tears in her eyes, "I can't," she sounded like she wanted to cry, "It's isn't that I don't want it, or I don't appreciate it… but I want Nathalie back."

Nathalie? So that was the child's name? A little too grown up in his opinion, but whatever. Still, rejection of a gift, no matter how polite was a sleight to his ego. And it couldn't go ignored. Immediately the girl's name came to his mind.

"Marinette," he paused her rambling. The crystal in his hands became a snake which he passed between his hands. He looked at her, and shook his head, "Don't defy me," and without warning he tossed it at her neck. But there was no damage done, as soon as it touched her it turned into a rope of silk scarves which dropped to the floor and vanished. He smirked, it was so rare he got to intimidate, he'd almost forgotten how much fun it was to strike fear and awe into the hearts of mortals, "You're no match for me Marinette," he taunted, "You're no match for anyone."

He saw her stance shift instantly. It was subtle, and she was still very much afraid, but there was a spark of defiance that lit in her eyes. Her stance, her whole bearing shifted. Turned firm, turned unyielding, ready for a fight.

"You don't understand," her voice was somewhere between pleading and warning, "I need to get Nathalie back. She's-" and just like that the spark of defiance was replaced by a well of sorrow, "Nevermind."

Gabriel, taking an unaffected air as he tugged fastidiously at one of his gloves, stared at her for a moment and shrugged, "If you wish then…" he strode over to an open window and pointed behind him, "She's there, in my castle." Marinette had followed him and took steps of her own volition into his domain, "Do you still want to go looking for her?" he asked as she took in the sight of his kingdom, more notably the massive maze that surrounded the castle as it rose from a cliff in the furthest distance.

"Is that," she breathed, "Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?"

He shook his head, bemused by her false bravado, "Turn back," he advised, "Turn back before it's too late. Take my offer, return home else you may never see it again."

Marinette bit her lip and looked at the ground. Resolved she turned her gaze back to him, more determined than ever. Well, this would be fun wouldn't it? As if to punctuate his thought she responded with, "I can't, don't you get that I can't?

"More's the pity," he remarked without emotion.

Marinette glanced back at the challenge that lay before her, "It's not that far," she tried to convince herself.

Gabriel raised a brow, already ready to dash her hopes. He crept closer, looming over her as he informed her, "It's further than you think, and time is short."

"Time?" she looked at him.

"Did you think you would have eternity to win back your sibling?" Gabriel asked her. With a snap of his fingers, emphasized by the sharp leather of his gloves, a clock appeared on the branch of a nearby tree, "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your sister becomes one of us forever," he faded into nothingness, leaving only his parting remark to float after the little challenger on the wind, "Such a pity."

Marinette looked around, trying to see if he was still here. But this Goblin King, her perceived antagonist, was nowhere to be found. She looked back at the behemoth of a maze, thirteen hours and counting.

"The Labyrinth," she nearly hissed, eyeing it contemplatively. At last she reached a decision, "It doesn't look that hard. Come on feet," she told the appendages as she started half-walking, half-sliding down the small hill and approached the outer walls of the adventure that lay in wait for her.

Gabriel returned to his castle, ready to wait out the thirteen hours bouncing a baby on his knee. He didn't particularly like infants, but his job was his job after all. Hmm, perhaps he could fob the child off on Adrien. His son liked children far more than Gabriel ever had, that was for certain.

"Adrien!" Gabriel called to a crowded yet silent throne room as he lackadasically draped himself over the titular piece of furniture. The menacing armor he'd donned for his journey above was gone in an instant, replace by his far more comfortable Godfrey shirt and breeches with matching vest.

In the next instant his golden-haired spawn was before him, "Yes Father?" Adrien asked as he bowed his head to his sovereign.

"You're in luck today," Gabriel replied, "We have one,"

"One?"

"Someone has finally wished away a child." Gabriel explained, "Which I am trusting you to-"

He was interrupted when the rabble started to clamor. With a sharp glare he turned to them and harsly demanded, "What!"

Heads turned and eyes shifted to one another. Each of them waiting for someone to tell their king but none of them wanting to be the one to do it. Eventually one was separated, pushed before the monarch by the group. They prostrated at his dangling feet, Gabriel watched on, bored yet impatient and irritated at the interruption.

As soon as their bow was completed the nervous creature wrung its hands as it tried to explain, "There's… We's… the girl your majesty."

"What of her?"

"She's too old majesty," the Goblin squeaked.

"Too old for?"

"Too old to turn, too old to turn!" the goblins chorused.

"Of course she is, did you think I didn't notice that?" Gabriel asked them, "I have eyes you know."

The speaker shook his head, "Not that one, not that one. The other one!"

"Which one?"

Before he could get his answer she came storming in. well, actually, first a goblin came flying through the air to land at his feet. And then she came storming in, careless as to who was in her way or how injured they might be if they did not change that fast enough. Dressed just as thinly as Marinette had been in silken pajamas made for the summer heat that it had been above. All black hair and furious blue eyes.

"What. Is. The meaning of this!" she bellowed. The goblins cowered in the face of her ire.

Unimpressed Gabriel cast his gaze on her. Where Marinette had truly been a child though, this female was all woman. A fact made more than evident by her choice of garments. Her hands were fisted at her hips, one of them cocked and emphasizing the curve of her figure. Her eyes were hard and she stood, regal as any royal as she stared him down.

"Who are you?" she asked, "And where am I?"

Gabriel ignored her and looked to his goblins, "This was the one you took?" the goblins weren't supposed to take adults. Only children, only the unwanted.

"If by taken you mean kidnapped, then yes," the woman replied, "I demand you take me home at once. I have a teenager to take care of."

Coolly Gabriel regarded her, "A teenager? You mean the same teenager that is the very reason for your being here? The same teenager now trapped within a dangerous and deadly maze?"

"What?" the woman gasped, "Take her out and send us home. Now!"

Gabriel chuckled, it had been so long he'd forgotten how amusing mortals were, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not really in the position to be demanding anything. Now are you?"

'What do you mean?" her eyes narrowed.

"Your teenager, Marinette was her name, yes? Yes well, your Marinette is the one who wished you away. Therefore, as of this moment, you belong to me. Now, should you want to go home, you'll have to hope that little Marinette can make it here to the castle within the next," he glanced over at the clock in one corner of the room, "Twelve hours and thirty-seven minutes. Or else, both of you will belong to me."

He could usually see the emotions run across a mortal's face as the inevitable set in and they realized there was no escaping this fate. But her, for some reason her emotions weren't showing on her face. Odd, considering how visibly angry she'd been just moments before. But he didn't have time to ponder this as in what felt like the blink of an eye she'd strode over, hauled off and slapped him. The side of his face burned from the sudden impact, and he was certain there was a red hand-shaped welt forming on his face. His outward expression remained impassive. She wanted to play rough? Fine, he could play rough.

"Restrain her."

A snap of his fingers and the horde charged at her. A cry of surprise and anger escaped her before she was buried under an ever growing pile of puppet-like creatures. But just when he thought the matter done with she began rising as they swarmed around her, prying them off of her and tossing them across the room. She was panting and grunting from exertion, sweat beginning to slick her brow as insults of undocumentable filth and venom escaped her lips.

Her hair was loose, unbound as Goblins pounced over and over on her. She shook them off even as they restrained her arms and pulled her back, keeping her from attacking the king. Her strength was demonstrable, the fire in her eyes wild and her fury palpable. And gods above didn't she look a vision like that? Gabriel paused, where had that thought come from? Her mouth was still spewing obscenities as his horde dragged her out of the room.

Gabriel pinched the space between his brows, "Change of plans," he instructed Adrien, "You will deal with the other girl."

"Other girl?" Adrien cocked his head.

"The one in the Labyrinth," Gabriel clarified, "She's running for that one's freedom. You are not, under any circumstances, to allow her victory. I want her as good as lost, not anywhere near the castle. Throw everything you can think of at her, but be mindful not to kill her. No mortal is to come under true danger within those walls, damn those treaties grandfather signed."

Adrien nodded, "I understand Father. Where is she?"

Gabriel, "Last I checked outside the outer wall." he conjured a crystal and within it the girl's visage appeared, "Have a look for yourself,"

Adrien caught the sphere as it was tossed at him. One glance to see the girl had him saying (with pink cheeks no less), "She's quite pretty, isn't she?"

"As far as mortals go, I suppose," Gabriel allowed, "She's much too young for whatever foolish romantic notions you might be thinking up. Remember, until she gives up or the thirteen hours are, she is your enemy. You are not to underestimate her, you are not to befriend her, and by the stars above you are not to moon over her. Is. That. Clear?" he raised an imperious brow at his rebellious boy.

Adrien paused but bowed his head submissively, "Yes Father," he acquiesced, "But then… what will you do?"

Gabriel scowled as he stood, cape instantly leaping to his shoulders and swirling as he began to stalk out of the room, "There is an incredibly defiant wench who needs to be dealt with. And apparently I am going to have to be the one that reigns her in."

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Did you like it? Let me know and leave a comment. Until next time everyone


	2. Chapter 2

You asked, I delivered. Enjoy everyone!

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It wasn't hard to find where she had been placed. Not when her declarations of anger could be heard from down the hall. She hasn't been taken to a cell, more was the pity, but merely put in a parlor to wait out her rage for the king to come and get her. Gabriel opened the door and had to immediately duck when a projectile came flying at him. It sailed over where his head had been and landed with a resounding crash against the wall behind him. Well, if that wasn't a clear indication of her mood he didn't know what would be. Still, he pressed onward.

"Quite done with destroying property that isn't your own?" Gabriel raised a brow at her. The woman, Nathalie if this was who Marinette had been talking about and all things considered he was quite certain it was, was panting with that scowl still present on her face.

"Not yet," she managed to quip, "I'll be done when the last thing I manage to break is your neck."

"So antagonistic," Gabriel tutted, "and I must say it's entirely misdirected. I'm neither the one who wished you away nor the one who took you."

"But you are the one who refuses to send me home!" Nathalie was quick to point out, "Which is just as bad."

"Believe me when I say I would if I could," Gabriel held his hands up placatingly, "Unfortunately, that's simply not how things are done here."

"And just how are things done here?" Nathalie raised a brow.

"Your Marinette -that is what you said is it not?- she made a wish. The goblins took you, and here you are. Here is also where you shall remain."

"But I don't want to be here," Nathalie protested, "Shouldn't that have any bearing on the matter?"

"In a perfect world, yes, perhaps it would. Alas, such a world does not exist."

"But that's not fair!"

Gabriel raised a brow at that. Surely a woman fully grown like her would know that life wasn't fair, and would also know better than to bemoan that fact, "And your basis for comparison would be?"

Nathalie didn't meet his gaze just then. Either she'd realized she'd said something stupid or her basis was really so comparable that she didn't wish to acknowledge it. Gabriel, however, was more inclined to believe the former than the latter. He sighed, "That's what I thought."

"But-" she put up a token protest, already realizing it would do her no good, "Can't I at least return for a few minutes? I need to get something."

"Whatever you need the castle can provide for you."

"I'm not ingratiating myself to you any more than absolutely necessary," Nathalie responded flatly, "Let me go back."

"What is it you need so badly?"

"Clothes," she gestured to her outfit, nothing more than a barely season appropriate silk nightgown with a black silk robe haphazardly thrown over it.

"To which my answer is still no," Gabriel replied, "I rather like you in what you're wearing now."

"Of course you would," Nathalie rolled her eyes, "Typical man."

"Unless of course," Gabriel continued, "you'd prefer to be wearing something a bit more comfortable."

"Of course I would!" Nathalie exclaimed pointedly, "That's why I want to go and get my clothes."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Gabriel shrugged, "I can, however, provide you with a suitable alternative."

"I would be very appreciative if you would," Nathalie ground out through her teeth. Her expression paused though, and seemed to study his face quite closely. Something must have seemed off because she said, "Wait, what exactly would I be wearing?"

"My bed sheets of course," Gabriel couldn't help the wolfish smirk that twitched his lips as he said that, "I've been told on more than one occasion they're the most comfortable things in the seven kingdoms."

"I've slapped you once already, don't think I'll hesitate to do it again." Nathalie said flatly.

"You're a very violent one aren't you?" Gabriel asked, deciding to stride forth and invade her personal space, just because he sensed it would bother her, "Pity for you, but I actually prefer that in a partner."

He thought she might jerk away, flustered and frustrated. But she was no naive teenage girl inside, she was stone cold, rigid, and defiant. And he liked her all the more for it. Her stare, much like her tone, was flat and unimpressed with all the fairy tale grandeur that surrounded her. And yet there was a hidden hysteria, not that he would blame her. She had been taken against her will by creatures that by all manner of mortal logic were not supposed to exist and brought to a strange land whose rules and customs she was uncertain of. He could understand completely, but he also wasn't about to make it any easier for her.

With a sigh she pulled away and began to pace, muttering to herself. Likely trying to justify that this was all nothing more than some sort of hallucinogenic fever dream she was experiencing.

"How is this possible?" She demanded after a few circuits of pacing, "How is any of this possible?"

Gabriel looked at her, "You truly have no inkling of an idea of why you're here? What brought you here?"

"No," Nathalie shook her head, "I got in a fight with Marinette and-" she cut herself off, "Marinette," she swore, "it was Marinette wasn't it?"

"I would suppose," Gabriel allowed, "She did say her right words, make the wish and all that. And in our world, what's said is said, so here you are."

"Right words…" Nathalie stuck on that phrase, "Right words… Wait, you mean the words from that book?"

"Book?" Gabriel could honestly say he had no idea what she was talking about. It didn't matter though, as the question seemed to be rhetorical, more to herself than anyone.

"I should have known. How could I not have known? I only read that book to her every night for years! She always took fairy stories to heart, was always impressionable. But I never thought that-" she stopped her resumed pacing, "So then, you're him aren't you? You're the Goblin King."

Gabriel mock bowed to her, "Guilty as charged, and- well not at your service per se, but you get the idea I'm sure."

"I'm sure," Nathalie deadpanned. Gabriel got the distinct impression that she was mad at home again, though he had no idea what he could have done in the last few minutes that she hadn't already berated him for.

"So…" She drawled, "Do I need to kill you for chasing after a minor? Or is it me you're after?"

Gabriel blinked, he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, "What?" he asked.

"But what no one knew, was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers," Nathalie intoned, sounding for all the world like she was reciting something out of a book, "Granted, some things are different, I'm certainly no annoying infant boy, so which one of us is it?"

"Allow me to clarify, just because it's written in a book doesn't make it true," Gabriel replied, "I have no interest in your…" what on earth was the girl's relationship to this woman?

"Child," Nathalie replied, "She's my child."

"You look too young to have birthed her," Gabriel remarked.

"That's because I didn't," Nathalie quipped, "I'm an old friend of her family's."

"And I presume that's all you're going to say on the matter?"

"I presume that's all you want to hear," Nathalie parried, "And you still haven't answered my question."

"I'm not chasing after your child," Gabriel answered, "Aside from going to offer her the crystal in exchange for you I'm actually having nothing to do with her."

"What?" Nathalie nearly gasped, "You offered nothing more than a crystal for me?"

"I was under the impression that you were a child," Gabriel replied, "It is a traditional item of barter in such cases. You need not fear however, your Marinette turned it down."

"So where is she?" Nathalie narrowed her eyes at him.

"In the Labyrinth, trying to win back your freedom."

"And should she fail?"

"You'll both belong to me."

She blanched, visibly she blanched. But then the other part of his words sunk in, "Wait, if you're not the one she'll be dealing with, then who is?"

Gabriel smirked, "My son."

MLB

Marinette had been walking the length of the outer wall for what felt like ages. But she had yet to see a door leading inside. How could she finish the challenge if she couldn't even start it? It was then she noticed snoring coming from nearby. Marinette followed the snores to a small dark bundle on the ground. Not wanting to chance anything she nudged it with her foot. The snoring stalled a moment before picking right back up. Marinette nudged the bundle with her foot again.

"Um…" she hesitated, feeling stupid, "Excuse me?"

The snoring halted midway and cut off completely. The bundle jumped and Marinette could see a dark skinned, messy dark-haired male leap from the shape on the ground. He was short, shorter than her at least, and had a wizened look across his grumpy face. For a brief moment, it became apologetic and sycophantic, as though she was something important. Just as quickly though, it returned to what was apparently its usual frown.

"Excuse me," he paused his apology as he got a good look at her, acidic green eyes narrowing, "Oh, it's just you."

Marinette didn't know what to make of that. She shook off his brusque attitude for the sake of hopeful progress though, "I guess? Um, look, I need to get through this Labyrinth and I could really use some help. You don't by any chance know a way to get in do you?"

The man, thing, looked at her and scoffed, rolling his eyes as he began to prowl the outer wall. He appeared to be searching for something. And when his eyes landed on a white butterfly he licked his lips, crouched down on his haunches, and leapt at it. A hand slammed down on the creature and the thing laughed with malicious glee.

"Thirty-seven!" he exclaimed, instantly off searching for the next one and leaving the mangled insect in the dust.

Marinette's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she'd just seen. "How could you!" she demanded angrily, sinking to her knees to check on the poor creature despite all logic saying it would already be dead by now.

It was then she saw that the butterfly wasn't really a butterfly. In all actuality it was a tiny humanoid creature with large white butterfly wings. And it was still alive. Marinette cooed softly, cradling it in her hands as she stood back up. She was about to berate him when she felt a sharp sting at one of her fingers.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, more in surprise than in actual pain. Her hands dropped releasing the animal and it fluttered away. Marinette gaped, "I- she- it bit me!"

The man snorted, "Course it did, what would you expect an akuma to do?"

Marinette blinked, unfamiliar with the word, "Akuma? I thought that was a fairy."

"Not much better," the male replied, "And even if it was, what did you expect a fairy to do?"

"I was always taught fairies did nice things, like granting wishes," Marinette offered in explanation.

The male snorted again, "Well, if that don't show what you know."

"You're despicable!" Marinette hissed, watching as he pounced on another akuma, upping his count aloud. Even though one had bitten her, it didn't seem right to just exterminate them in cold blood.

The creature looked at her, a tuft of hair immediately flicking to life and revealing itself to be not hair at all but an ear. The male scowled at her, the frown lines in his face deepening and a rather sharp incisor winking from his mouth as he snarled back at her, "No I ain't. I'm Plagg." He tilted his chin up at her, "Who are you?"

Marinette raised a brow at him, "I thought you said you knew."

"Never said nothing of the sort," Plagg grumbled, "And now 'M starting to wonder if even you know who you are."

This thing, this Plagg -whatever he was- was really starting to get on her nerves. In just as haughty a manner as she'd been received the girl replied, "Marinette."

Plagg did nothing but tsk, "That's what I thought," and with his facts confirmed he continued on his way.

"W- wait!" Marinette called, running after him as he pounced on more Akumas, uttering his updated… she could only assume it was a high score or something. Plagg continued to ignore her. "Plagg wait!" she called again, "Do you know where the door to the Labyrinth is?"

"Maybe…" Plagg drawled in such a way that Marinette wasn't sure whether he was lying or just being a jerk. Either way, being a jerk was confirmed in her mind when he refused to elaborate and tell her.

"Well?" she was growing more and more impatient.

"Well what?" Plagg asked, still paying her no mind even as he addressed her, "What are you still doing here? Don't you have a Labyrinth to get lost in?"

"I can't get through it if I can't even get into it."

"Fair point," Plagg allowed, pouncing on yet another akuma with a whoop of, "Fifty!"

"So where is it?" Marinette asked settling her hands on her hips in an annoyed manner.

"Where is what?"

"The door!"

"What door?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Marinette tossed her hands in the air, "Look, I'm on a time crunch here and I really need a straight answer."

"Came to the wrong place if that's what you're looking for then," Plagg replied breezily.

"So it's hopeless asking you anything, isn't it?" Marinette clarified.

"Not if you ask the right questions," was his caveat.

Marinette sighed, "Alright then, how do I get into the Labyrinth?"

The question made Plagg stand stock still, and now marinette saw that in addition to the ears that disguised themselves as tuft of wayward hair, he also had a tail which he wrapped around himself like a belt. But now, it was uncurled and swishing to and fro in an intrigued yet almost lazy manner. With a feline gleam and a feline grin Plagg turned to her tilting his head in a coquettish manner.

"Ah," he sounded pleased, or perhaps just less annoyed, with her, "Now that's more like it." he dropped to his haunches and scampered, circling her a few times. Then he stood up and said, "You get in, there," he pointed past her shoulder.

Marinette turned to see a set of doors where one had almost certainly not been before. Without a word to it they opened invitingly, beckoning her inside. This place was so frustrating and she'd only barely begun. Wonderful. Just, wonderful. As she stared at the gaping maw Plagg regarded her more carefully.

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" he asked her.

"I- no," Marinette shook her head, "But I'm afraid I have to." she tightened her stance in an effort to psyche herself up and slowly walked in. It was just like a long corridor, with no turns or bends or anything. Just path littered with bricabrak and debris as far as the eye could see. And yet, there was a feeling of foreboding in the pit of her stomach. Not helped when Plagg decided to sneak up behind her.

"Doozy innit?" he asked, loudly exclaiming the first word for the express purpose of making her jump.

"That's not funny," Marinette gritted her teeth as an embarrassed flush filled her cheeks.

"I beg to differ!" Plagg cackled to himself as he strode in after her, limping a bit as though he had an injury in his leg. Had it always been there or had she just not noticed?

"Now," he caught her attention again, "Would you go left, or would you go right?"

Marinette examined her options. She couldn't see a difference, and she said as much to him.

Plagg scoffed, "You're gonna get far," he retorted.

"Well if you're so smart then which way would you go?" Marinette asked, taking on an unimpressed air. She was wasting precious time being jerked about like this. She owed it to Nathalie to at least try, and if she was constantly being held up by nuisances like this she'd be lucky if she made it in another two layers before her time was up.

"Me?" Plagg sounded as if he'd never before considered it, and it was only emphasized by the contemplative hand he put under his chin. After a few more dragged out moments of ponderous pause he shrugged and answered, "I wouldn't go either way."

"In that case, you are more than welcome to leave," Marinette regarded him with disinterest, "I really have to be going."

Plagg tsked again, "I can already see how this is gonna go," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

He looked at her, "Y'know what your problem is? You take too many things for granted."

"Like?"

"Take this Labyrinth for example, even if you do manage to get to the center without killing yourself, you'll never get out again."

"Well that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. Even if it is wrong."

"Wrong or not it's still a lot better than yours."

"Gee, thanks for everything Plague," Marinette rolled her eyes.

"It's Plagg!" the hobgoblin corrected, "And don't say I didn't warn you!" the last bit was delivered in a singsong manner, the same type of intonation one takes when they're most certainly -or most certain they are- right. As he limped off the doors shut with an air of inescapable finality. The game was on.

MLB

At her behest -read, constant nagging- Gabriel had transformed her nightwear into something more appropriate for facing company with and returned with her to the throne room. Nathalie refused to be left out of the proceedings anymore than was strictly necessary. Adrien was there, sitting in a small pit with several Goblins surrounding him, watching the runner's progress through a crystal.

"That's your son?" Nathalie asked him.

"Did you not see him earlier?" Gabriel parried, "No, I suppose you were too intent upon your own rampage of self-righteous indignation weren't you?"

"Crossing one more line like that will result in another lovely red handprint on your smug face Goblin King," Nathalie said in a saccharine tone, "Just remember that. And what I meant was that… well, he doesn't really look like you now does he?"

A fact Gabriel was already well aware of, "He gets his looks from his mother," he replied.

"Ah, I should have assumed there would be a Goblin Queen if there was a Goblin Prince," Nathalie nodded to herself, "In which case I'll be certain to inform her of your less than courteous advances upon my person."

"If you can manage to track her down, be my guest," Gabriel laughed, "Though I feel I must warn you she probably would have been even more forward with you than I have."

"I-" Nathalie paused, "Wait, what?"

"You really think Fae have the same sort of hangups and taboos you mortals have?" Gabriel raised a brow at her, "There's a reason tales of mortals being whisked away were cautionary. You could never be the same after being exposed to all that."

"Ahem," Nathalie cleared her throat in an attempt to clear the blush rising to her cheeks, "Back to the matter at hand, your wife is…?"

"No longer here."

"Do you know-"

"No," Gabriel shook his head, "But she's been gone for two-hundred years, I assume that if she wanted to come back by now she would have. Though, in my position it's not as though I can really chase after her."

"What do you mean by that?"

Gabriel realized he'd said more than he intended to, "Nevermind all that. My son, Adrien. He takes after her."

"That's terrible," Nathalie said, tone maternal and saddened as she gazed at him, "He's just a child."

"He's several hundred years older than you."

"Maybe chronologically, but not mentally." she parried.

"Semantics," Gabriel rebutted, "Either way, Adrien!"

Adrien fumbled with the crystal before banishing it entirely. He strode to his father and bowed his head to the elder's higher rank.

"This is Nathalie, our guest for the next few hours," Gabriel introduced smoothly.

Adrien took the woman's hand and bowed over it, "A pleasure Miss."

Nathalie couldn't help but notice the almost dead intonation the words had. Like he'd been instructed to say them so much it was just an automatic response rather than a sincere greeting. Even if it was, he couldn't help the words coming out that way.

"How sweet," she tried to reply in far more kind, tried to let him know it was okay.

"How is our little runner doing?" Gabriel asked.

"She's just made it inside the Labyrinth, Father," Adrien informed them, conjuring a crystal for their benefit, "And now I do believe she's being led astray."

"Excellent," Gabriel murmured, "With any luck this won't even take the full amount of time. Keep a sharp eye on her. As a matter of fact, why don't you seek out an opportunity to introduce yourself?"

"Of course Father, right away," Adrien acquiesced. And with a pop, he disappeared.

"So…" Nathalie drawled over the din of the horde while Gabriel took a seat on his throne, "Now what?"

"Now we wait until she gives up." Gabriel answered.

"I know Marinette, trust me, that's not going to happen," Nathalie intoned.

"You seem so sure of that,"

"I'm not wagering anything with you." Nathalie shut down the proposition before it could even be made.

"You're sharp," Gabriel allowed, "How refreshing. Though if you think this diminishes your appeal to me I have to inform you to the contrary."

"How flattering," she parried without sounding flattered at all.

"What, are you scared?" he couldn't help but grin at that, "Do I intimidate you?"

"Not a chance," Nathalie shot back, even as she inched away from him.

"I think I do."

"And I say you don't."

"Very well then, let's play a game of our own."

"And what makes you think I would ever agree?"

"I can promise the reward would be well worth your while,"

"And Fae don't lie," Nathalie rolled her eyes, "You think that's enough to convince me?"

"I give you my word that should you win you will get exactly as I promise you, without an added caveat. Is that enough?"

"It's a start," Nathalie quirked a brow, "What's your game?"

"A game of seduction,"

"You think I'll be able to seduce a Fae?" Nathalie shook her head, "Considering how long you've lived and all the things you must have done I have to say even I don't have that much confidence in my abilities."

"As well you shouldn't," Gabriel agreed, "But no. What I want to test is your ability to resist."

Nathalie's stare went flat, "Come again?"

"While I would dearly enjoy doing so -especially in your company-, perhaps I should better explain first." he was rewarded with a muttered swear from under her breath for that one, "You resist my charms for the next," he glanced at the clock, "Twelve hours or so and regardless of where Marinette is in my Labyrinth, I'll send you both home."

"And if I lose?"

"And she loses?" at her nod he continued, "Then you both belong to me."

Nathalie studied his eyes for the longest time, seeking dishonesty so she would have a valid reason to decline. But the offer, the reward, it was so tempting. And she had resisted temptations she assumed far worse than a man with a sweet child and a tragic backstory since she'd taken in Marinette. Fae or not nobody was better at resisting men than Nathalie Sancoeur. And it never hurt to have a little insurance either.

Before she could second guess herself Nathalie took hold of his outstretched hand and shook it. One word falling from her lips.

"Deal."

* * *

Did you like it? Leave a comment and let me know. Until next time everyone


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